Christmas tree reflector



Fb. 13, 1940. F. w. ECKELBERG f 2,190,233

CHRISTMAS TREE REFLECTOR Filed Jan. 14. 1938 used for illuminating Christmas trees and for'.`

Patenidreb; V13, l1940 CHRISTMAS TREE .Ransom-onf f soiaims. (ci. 240g-1013i* p pp;

` This invention relates tov light reflecting-devices and more particularly `to i that type of device which is used to reflect'the light ofelectric lamps other decorative purposes.`

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a .light reflector which, when its cooperating lamp is illuminated, will give theiappearance of a` main or central zone of reflected light and in addition` a plurality of` auxiliary zones of reflectedY light Vwhich are substantially separated irointhe main reflection zone.

Another object ofthe invention Ais to provide a s reflector' inv which certain` portions thereof are bentY or otherwise formed sothat their angular position` provides non-reflecting suriaceswith respect to the lamp to which therellector issecured, but which will provide surfaces which will reec't light rays frornother sources of'light such as those raysV from adjacent differently colored lamps and reilectors.

Another object` ofthe inventionis to provide a lamp in combination with a reiiector of this general type,` said lamp being dividedintoedifferently colored light zones whereby different portions of the reflector will'reflect only certain colored rays from the lamp, and other portionsof the reflector will reflect differently colored rays'ffroin the lamp.

Still a further'objec-t of thefinvention isl to provide safe and elective lmeans for securing the reflectorto the base ofi the lamp which is used to illuminate-said reilector. y

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will more fully appear in the following description made in connection with theacconrpanying drawing,` in which like reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the sreveral viewsgand, in which:

Fig. lis aplan View of two of my reflectors showing them illuminated by lamps of different colors; y

Fig. 2 is a'plan'view ofY a reector detached from the lamp;

Fig. 3 `isa section showing `some of thereof;

Fig. 4is an enlarged section taken approximately on` the line Ia-4. of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a perspective View oi'` one segment of the reilector;

Fig. 6 is -an end view of one of said segments;

and

Fig. 7 isa plankview of the insulator with which the reflectoris secured to a lamp base. l

The reflector is preferably formed of some through one of my reectors the mechanical structure lightA reflecting Surfaceu such i light from the lamp .ner it might be said be distributed; in varying light sheet"v metalV which as is commonly known in the art. The reflector comprises generally a main reflecting IareaA which is prefer-` ably generally circular in shape, and which has f stare MTNTOFFECE has a specially finished n extendinglfrorn its edge a .plurality of tips or auxiliary'reflectingportions B. The center of the main portion A is apertured, as shown, so that a base of alarnp can be inserted therein. Radiating outwardly` from a central aperture is a plurality of V-shaped' grooves course, are separated by a plurality of ridges III. As shownin the drawings,` `the bottoms of the grooves are inalignment with the centersof each of the auxiliaryreflectng portions or tips B, and the ridgesI I extend in lines between `said tips` or auxiliary reilecting portions. Thus the j main body of the reflector `is substantially angularly corrugated leaving slanting surfaces II which cooperate kwith the grooves and ridges to reflect to which the reflector was applied.

The tips or auxiliary reflecting portions B have their main surfaces I2 formed substantially ilat,` and at the', bases of the flat portions I2 there are` substantially triangular outwardly `bent portions,v I3, whichas best shown in Fig. 3, are so positioned that they face away from the lamp-.L so that these small triangular portions will notrefleet light `irorn'the lamp isilluminated the `main reflector portion A` and the tips or auxiliary reflecting portions B will reflect light from the lamp, but. the non` reflecting portions Ifwill provide dead spots and give the tips B the appearance of being substantially separated from the main reflector portion A. When illuminated the reiiector has the gen-` lamp.` Therefore, when` the eral appearance ofthe popular conception of a To describe it in another .iran` that: the reilector gives the appearance of a snowake formation.

twinkling star.

l While thetriangular facets or so-called dead spots I3 will not reflect lthey will Vreflect light from other sources .which light from the lamp L,

they may` face, either directly `or at an angler Therefore, if a lamp of a dillerentcolor. is lof-f catedl adjacent one of these illuminated reflectors, the dead spots I3 will reflect this other color' and tiny dots of this differently colored light will Y degrees around` the main reiiecting portion A between it and the tips or auxiliary reflecting portions B. This effect is indicated in Figure l, wherein the left-hand lamp to indicate a blue f is yshaded with horizontal lines color and the reflector is similarly shaded. rUhere are also small areas of vertical line shading to indicate a red color, the latter being reected by some of the jdead areas I3l and the extreme points of some of the tips B. The lamp and reflector at the right in Figure 1l are shaded vertically to indicate red, and it is from this red lamp and its reflector that thev small areas of red are reiiected by the reflector at the left. It will be noted that certain similar points on the righthand reflector show the reflection of some .of the blue light from the lamp and reilector at the left. Both reflectors are shaded in theircentral portions to indicate reflection oi" diierent intensity from their respective lamps along the bottoms of the grooves 9 and the ridges I0, thus creating radiating lines or points of light. j

In Fig. 3 the lamp L is shown with two zones ofy coloring; the lower partl ofthe lamp I4 may be of one color which will be reflected mainly by nthe slanting faces II on the main portion A of the reflector; the upper'portion of the lamp I5 may be of a different color and that color will be principally reflected by the tips or auxiliary reilectors B. Since the main reilector and the tips have the appearance of being separated when the lamp is illuminated, this Variation of colors on the main reiiector and on thetips will create a very striking display. y

The apertured central portion of the reflector is defined by a flange I 5 against which is placed apringI IE of iibre or other suitable insulating material. The ring is held against the flange I5 by tabs I'I which are stamped from the metal of the reector itself. As shown in Fig. 8, the insulating ring I6 is provided with a plurality of inward projections I8. 'Ihese projections are adapted to fit into the threads I9 which are formed in the kbase of a conventional lamp, and with lamp bases of certain sizes the projections I8 will so fit the threads that the reiiector can bescrewed upon the lamp base, just as though the lamp were being fitted into a threaded socket. However, where vthe base of a lamp is too large to` permit the projections to extend inwardly into the threads of the lamp base, these larger lamps within certain limits may be secured to the reflector by pushing the lamp base through' the vringv I6 and bending the fibre projections I 8 backwardly. Thereupon theinherent strength of the fibre projections or tabs I8 will' cause 'them to frictionally engage the base of the lamp and hold the reflector in position thereupon. Of course, when the lamp base is screwed into the socket 2Q, the reiiector will be more rigidly held by pressure of the fibre ring I6 against the lamp L, and also by pressure of the flange I5 against the outer end of the socket 2U,

From the foregoing description it will be seen that I have provided a reiiector for Christmas tree lamps and the like which is of relatively simple structure, but Iwhich at the same timeI is capable of producing lighting effects of unusual Vand pleasingV appearance. It is .a reflector in VHwhich the main reflector portion andits auxiliary reflector portions reect light from one lamp, but have the appearance of being substantially independent reflectors, `and lin addition the reiiector has other portions capable of reiiecting differently colored light rays from other sources of illumination. As a result vwith the use of reflector it will also be seen that I have provided a highly eicient and safe means of connecting the reflector to the lamp which is capable of accommodating lamp bases of diierent sizes.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, arrangement and proportions of the various parts without departing from the scope of my invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A decorative light reector comprising a relatively highly reflective dish-shaped element having an aperture therein adapted to receive a base of a lamp, said reflector having portions thereof shaped to intercept and reflect rays from said lamp, and other 'portions of said reflector being bentfto non-reecting.positio-ns relative to said non-reecting `portions mechanically interconnecting 'said reflecting portions, said reflecting portions and said non-reflecting portions being so related as to give the appearance oi reflecting portions visually separated by a definite line of demarcation provided by the non-reflecting portions.

2. A decorative light reflector comprising a one piece body of reflecting material having a central lamp-receiving aperture therein, means in said aperture for engaging a lamp to provide a support,` for said b'ody, a primary portion having a plurality of` reflectingy surfaces radiating from and entirelysur'rounding said central aperture, a plurality of secondary portions extending outwardly from said primary portion in spaced relation to each other and providing further reflecting surfaces,-and portions of said reflector body constituting the bases of said secondary portions being slanted outwardly and downwardly from` the axis of the reflector to provide non-reflecting surfaces; said reflecting portions and said nonreflecting portions being so related as to give the appearance of reecting surfacesl visually sep- -arated by a definite line of demarcation provided by the non-reflecting surfaces.

3. A decorative light reflector comprising a sheet metal member having a central opening for receiving a light bulb andincluding a body portion surrounding `said opening and having an undulating surface vfor intercepting and reflecting the light rays from said bulb, a multiplicity yof relatively flat, pointed, auxiliary portions ex- FRED W. ECKELBERG. 70 

